TAKE a deep breath, think soothing thoughts and forget that the boss wanted the sales figures done/toilets cleaned/ mid-morning bacon rolls fetching (delete as appropriate) five minutes ago before reading Diary's latest revelations.

The hectic nature of modern life means workplaces are not always the calmest of places. This is mainly due to the work' bit of workplace; life would be so much smoother if it wasn't for that.

Somewhat alarming new research from the Samaritans - blimey, are things that bad? - now claims 36 per cent of people in Yorkshire are so stressed they constantly dream of jacking it all in and leaving for a new life abroad, presumably with the intent of being featured on a car-crash Channel 4 documentary about idiosyncratic Brits abroad in a few years' time.

However, Yorkshire folk are a resilient bunch and despite this high-level of stress, only 15 per cent have ever taken time off work as a result of the pressure getting too much for them, the lowest level anywhere in the UK apart from the south east. Typical southerners, they always have to go one better, don't they?

And with more than half of Yorkshire workers fearing their working lives are only destined to become more stressful, the Samaritans are calling for people to take steps to redress this ahead of Stress Down Day on February 1, part of the organisation's campaign to encourage workers to take better care of their health and reduce stress levels.

"Job-related stress has a serious, unrecognised impact on the health of the nation, and the economy, affecting concentration and efficiency," said Jo Ferns, of the Samaritans.

"Positive workplaces are a big factor in keeping everybody emotionally healthy. There is not enough openness and that is what Stress Down Day is all about - encouraging employers and employees to speak out and discuss problems before they escalate."

Brighter news is that 55 per cent of Yorkshire workers - the second-highest in the UK - say they can talk openly about their problems with their managers. To find out more about the Samaritans' campaign, log on to www.stressdownday.org Incidentally, one of the figureheads for this campaign is noted wit and raconteur Stephen Fry, whose support even went so far as him agreeing to be pictured in a natty pair of slippers (above).

Diary is perturbed by this. He earns loads, is one of the sharpest and most intelligent people going, gets to insult Alan Davies and Jo Brand on super-brainy quiz show QI and will always be able to boast that he was in Blackadder.

If he's stressed, there's no hope for the rest of us.